Dental prosthesis technology is very well developed and there is a large body of literature describing this technology in technical reports, professional literature and patents. Indeed, within the past decade, this has become a very crowded art.
The prior art discloses a vast array of dental prosthesis components. For convenience, the term "prosthetic components" or simply "prosthesis" will be used herein as a shorthand reference to all of the components of a dental restoration or other procedure that involves the implantation of a dental implant, pin, screw or other device into the jaw of a patient, including the components attached thereto, such as abutments, copings, prostheses per se, and attaching components, such as screws, pins, and washers, etc. The reader is referred to the following United States Patents to illustrate, in general, a few of the types of components that may be used: U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,382 to Daftary; U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,576 to Daftary; U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,567 to Daftary; U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,096 to Hurson, et. al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,648 to Krueger.
The components used in dental prosthesis technology are very small; they are so small, indeed, that in many instances it is impossible visually to distinguish between different sizes, and sometime even between different components. Magnification and/or the use of calipers or other measuring devices is often necessary to ascertain exactly the type and size of the component.
A great variety of types and sizes of components must be kept on hand to assure that the dentist or oral surgeon has the right type of component in the right size to treat a patient. Sometimes, a preliminary procedure or examination enables the doctor to determine in advance the type and size of dental prostheses, abutment, coping, etc., that will be required. However, a change of type or size may be required while a procedure is being carried out as a result of the discovery of a problem not previously known, or some other circumstance which cannot be fully determined until the procedure begins. Often,. of course, the type or size of a dental prosthesis component is unknown or cannot be determined until a dental or surgical procedure is begun. In all cases, however, it is important that the doctor have on hand a substantial number of components to assure that the proper components are on hand.
Dental prosthesis components, being very small, are difficult to handle. Many are so small that extremely well developed manual dexterity is required simply to hold them in a given position and special holding tools are required to use them.
Efforts have been made to provide packaging and holders to enable the doctor to identify, select and/or to hold the component and to use the component in a dental or surgical procedure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,648 to Krueger, U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,171 to Daftary and U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,096 to Hurson, et. al., are exemplary of such efforts.
A companion problem is that of maintaining sterility of the dental prosthesis component. Such components are frequently pre-sterilized by the manufacturer in a sealed package or envelope. Sterility is reliably obtained and reasonably assured so long as the sterile package is not opened or damaged. The dentist often finds it difficult to handle these small components and yet maintain sterility. The component must be removed from the sterile package and transferred to the opening in the patient=s mandible or maxilla directly or by way of a sterile surgical holder or instrument. Removing the small component from the package while maintaining sterility is a serious inconvenience. Facets of this problem, and examples of the types of components of concern, are addressed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,976,617 to Carchidi; 4,941,227 to Sussman; 5,062,800 to Niznick; 5,290,171 to Daftary, et. al.,; 5,368,160 to Leuschen, et. al.; 5,538,428 to Staubli; 5,558,230 to Fischer, et. al.; and 5,582,299 to Lazzara et. al. One facet of the present invention addresses this problem.
Many efforts have been made in this crowded art to provide the doctor with dental implants and dental prostheses and components thereof in a way that will permit quick and certain size and component identification and provide means for handling dental prosthesis components, there remains the need for a compact orderly system and apparatus to minimized space requirements in the doctor=s operating room and, at the same time, present the components in a convenient manner for identification, handling and use. This invention meets this need more efficiently and more conveniently that any system or apparatus of which the inventors are aware.